Disk gang mounting



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W. R. FRANK DISK GANG MOUNTING Dec. 6, 1955 Filed Feb. 15, 1952 FIG l Dec. 6, 1955 w. R. FRANK 725832 DISK GANG MOUNTING Filed Feb. l5, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR:

WILLIAM R. FRANK MW TToRNEYs nited States Patent O DISK GANG MOUNTING William R. Frank, Bell, Calif., assignor to .lohn Deere Killefer Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a Vcorporation of'California Application February 15, 1952, Serial No. 271,784

The present invention relates generally to agricultural implements and more particularly tobearing means for the ground engaging and working elements of an agricultural implement, especially one in which such elements and the associated bearing means operate in or closely adjacent to the ground and are subject to intimate and continued contact with soil particles, dust, grit and the like.

The object and general nature of the present invention is the provision of new and improved bearing means and associated mounting means therefor, particularly constructed and arranged to be incorporated in an agricultural implement, such as a disk harrow. More specilicallly, it is an important feature of this invention to provide a simplited bearing arrangement in which new and improved means is provided for connecting the bearing unit in supporting relation with the associated frame of the harrow or other implement, and a further feature of this invenH tion is the provision of new and improved sealing means which serve to prevent dust, grit, and the like from entering the bearing. More specifically, it is a feature of this. invention to providesealing means so constructed and arranged to act between the housing, receiving the outer race of the associated bearing unit, and the axially extended portions of the inner race of the bearing, whereby the sealing means is eiective at all times, even though there should be some eccentricity or other relative movement between the implement part receiving the inner bearing race and the inner race itself.

It is a feature of this invention to provide an improved mounting arrangement between the outer bearing housing and the implement frame of other parts. Particularly, the parts are so arranged that assembly and disassembly is made easy and quickly, vyet when the parts are in normal connected position, accidental disconnection is virtually impossible.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the present invention as incorporated in one of the bearings of a soil working implement, specifically a disk harrow.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along a transverse vertical plane passing through the axis of the disk gang.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along a vertical foreand-aft extending plane passing through the trunnion axes of the bearing.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the bearing yoke.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the bearing yoke in the position it occupies, relative to the bearing housing, when assembling the yoke and housing for incorporation in a harrow or other implement.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly Figure 1, for the purpose of illustrating and describing the present invention the same has been shown as applied to a disk ICC Y 2 t harrow 10 having a gang frame 11 in which a disk gang 12, including a plurality of disks 13, a gang bolt 14, and a plurality of diskseparating spacing means 15, is mount-k ed for rotation, preferably by means of a gang bearing unit 18 connected to a bracket 19V thatis iixed in any suitable way to and forms a part of the gang frame 11.

The present invention is particularly concerned with the bearing unit 18, and this unit will now be described.

The spacing means 15a that receives the bearing unit 18 comprises a pair of spacing spool sections, 21 and 22, `each of which has a disk-engaging enlarged section 23 and a portion 24 of reduced diameter, there being a shoulder 25 between the reduced portion 24 and the enlarged spacing spool portion 23. VThe two associated spool portions 24 are substantially identical in dimension, and each spacing spool section 21 and 22 has an axial opening thereto shaped Vto receive and fit snugly on the gang shaft 14.

A bearing yoke 29 is formed as a generally U-shaped strap member, the central portion of which includes an upwardly disposed apertured boss 31 that extends upwardly through an opening 32 in the ange 33 of the frame bracket 19, as best shown in Figure 2. A bracket washer 34 is disposed on the upper side of the flange 33, and a bolt 35 extends upwardly through the yoke 29, the opening 32, and the washer 34k and receives a lock nut 36 or other suitable means for holding the parts together. The boss 31 is so dimensioned relative to the ilange 33 that the yoke 29, when the bolt 35 and nut 36 are comprises a relatively narrow outer bearing race 51, an

inner sleeve or bearing race 52 that is materially greater in axial length than the outer bearing race 51, and a plurality of anti-friction balls 53 or the like between the two races. The internal diameter of the inner bearing race or sleeve 52 is substantially the same as the external diameter of the reduced spacing spool portions 24, and the shoulders 25 are so located that when the gang bolt nut is tightened on the gang 14 the shoulders 25 are drawn firmly against the ends of the inner bearing race or sleeve 52.

The outer relatively narrow bearing race 51 is disposed within an annular groove 56 formed in a generally circular bearing housing 57. The latter member is provided with Y laterally outwardly extending yoke-receiving trunnions 58.

Each trunnion 58 includes a generally cylindrical section 59, the diameter of which is substantially equal to the diameter of the yoke arm openings or sockets 43, and the lower side of each trunnion section 59 is flattened, as at 61, so that the distance between the uppermost point of the cylindrical section 59 and the lower flattened section 61 thereof is substantiallyV the same or at least no greater than the width of the yoke arm openings 45.

The purpose of this particular arrangement is to facilitate assembly of the yoke member 29 and the bearing housing member 57. To eifect this assembly, all that it is necessary to do is to turn the yoke 29 over into a horizontal position, as shown in full lines in Figure 5, and then the notched ends of the yoke arms 41 and 42 may be passed over the trunnions 58, after which the yoke 29 is then swung up into a vertical or normal position, with the upper or inner portions of the sockets 43 resting on the cylindrical trunnons 57 of the bearing housing, thereby 3 providing a sturdy support for the gang frame and associated parts on the bearing housing, yet the yoke cannot, so long as itis vertical,V beseparated from the associated bearing hhs'ng, 'Tsihceftlie width'f the -yoke jai'm'f'peni'rigs '45 is'les's'tlian `tliel`1'0`iizi; `ntaldaireter of the yoke trunnioris. Eahf 1theil'a'tter 'is 'provided with n'oter flanged ,"setion 62 fwhich prvits "any 'exeessive axial displacement of 'theyoke'relativeito the'b'aring housing. The bearings of such implements :as-the disk harrows and Y, th'e Alike opefatef 'n'o Vrhally f in "sbsta'r'itially directv contact 'withthe soil'biiig vilrked,I and therefore 'some means iriustbei 'I'J'rvided fork'eepirig' allof' thei'clirt; 'dustfgiit "and the like 'outjf thebeai'iiig'pa-tls.4 Thrfoiefaecrdiii g -t`o the 1prixjroipl'es "f the present invention, f1 provide -fa 'pair of bearing* seals 47G;iu'unti'rtgthe sa'me witl'ii'ri`-th'e groove `56 of'lth'ebearinghousirig 5711 ppo'sitesdes f th'e'outer beariii'gracef511- Toth'i's ehd,the bearinghousing "57 at one-side anios a radially `traval-'511,7'extendinginnige k71, "nd'at thev other side the bar'lng housing is provided with 'a groove 72 in whicha sn'ap"ri'ng 73 is`ad`apted to'be placed. i p p l Each p *ofi tht-,bearing seais' comprises three sealing members y'ISleld withinaneclsigcollar 76, 'Each of the sealing' members 75` cor`npri`ses' a'n'orrhallyilat 'annular ring or diaphragm, lpreferably vformed -of robber or rubberlikeiraterial adda ilatirr'i'etl ring to which the'rubberlike riugis `'securely'attachedfasby being bonded thereto. The central opening 791of'each' of'the tlexible members 78 is substantiallysmallerfthnlthe outer 'diarn'eter of the inner bearing race or sleve\ 2"s`o that when the sealing members 70` are forceditopsitinover the en'ds of the inner bearing race or sleeve 152,1th'e-radially inner portions of thei'ubher-lke rihgs are' placed under tension and, additionally, are displaced or deiiecteda'xially. As a result of this arrangement, eachof'the 'e'xible members 75'bears with substantiallyline contactandat'relatively highunit pressure Tvagainst the endportions of theinnerrac'e' member, at'points'lyin'g-aXially outwardly of the hter bearing race 51.

By having the sealingiernbers70carried within'the bearing housing y57 while arrangedfto eng/age directly the yaxially outer ends of the inner bearing race member, the

construction is' materially simpliedgin thatit is nottnecessary to provide vany Vother accurately machined surface, such as a sleeve, shaft or the like, upon which to'have the `sealing members bear; instead, the sealing members `75, while carried Vby Vthe relatively stationary bearing housing, contact the inner bearing 'race directly, this member normally being'a hardened and 'accuratelymachined part, and-it can'thereforefunction' both'as an inner race and as an accurately formed part'having asmooth exterior surface to cooperate withthe sealing elements of the bearing unit.

While I have shown'and described above'the'preferred structure in which the principles' of thepresent invention have been incorporated, it istobe'nde'rstood that my invention is not to be limited'to the particular details shown and described above, but that, in fact, 'widely .diterent means may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects of my invention.

What I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a disk harrow having a disk gang including a rotatable part, bearing means therefor, and a gang frame having a bearing-receiving bracket, the combination therewith of a bearing housing recivingsaid bearing means and having a pair ofoutwardly extending, generally cylindrical trunnions 'each atte'ne'd on itslower side so that the vertical dimension vof each trunnionis less than'the horizontal diameter thereof, a yoke rattached toV said bracket and having a 'pair of notched arms 'forming sockets rockably receiving said trnnnions, said arms normally extending downwardly andeach of said sockets having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the associated trunnion, said yoke having upwardly extending narrowed 'openings'leadin'g to slaidscickets, the width of each ofsaid` narrowed `opening's being 'substantially equal to the 'aforesaid v`ertical`dimens`ion 'of `the associated trunnion, tlius'providing for assembly'ofthe notched ends vonto the trunnions `trmfa lateral position, the portion of each'fsaid sockets opposite the narrowed opening thereof being's'wingable u'p' onto the'upper cylindrical part of the associated trunnion when the yoke is swung from. a lateral-position upwardly to agenerally vertical position. V

2. For use inha disk harrow having 'a disk gang including a normally'horizontal rotatable part, bearing means therefor,'and a-gang frame having a normally horizontal bearing-receiving bracket disposed generally above said rotatablelparh the improvement comprising a bearing housing adapted to receive -and `encircle said bearing means andhavinga-tpair of outwardly eiitending, -generally horizontal trunnionsfeachofvsaid trunnions, being generally cylindrical, with attene'd'portinsat theirlower sides and cylindrical attheir u'pper sides, a yoke attachable to Asaid bracket and having "a" pair 'of notchedarms extending downwardly at' the endsof the bracket andfthe ends being shaped to'form sockets forrockably receiving the upper cylindricalportions of `said trunnions, said arms having narrowed openings-at the lowerends of said arms leading upwardlyv to'said sockets, th'e dimension of each of Vsaid .narrowed openings `conresponding tothe thick- ,ness of the cylindrical portion of the associated trunnion between the uppermost point and the lower attened'portion thereof. 

